How To Spot And Avoid GoFundMe Scams

By Ed Smith on May 10, 2018

Have you ever contributed to a GoFundMe campaign? Every day, we see crowdfunding pleas in our Facebook feeds. Many of these stories are so touching that we want to help. The problem is that while most crowdfunding appeals are real, some are scams. How do you know the difference?

Imagine you are opening presents on Christmas day when the phone rings. A relative called to see whether you are alive and well. Someone started a campaign to raise $5,000 for your funeral expenses! That happened to an Arizona man, according to a local NBC-affiliated television news program. Multiple friends and relatives called him throughout the day after seeing a GoFundMe campaign claiming he died unexpectedly that morning.

Unfortunately, scam GoFundMe campaigns also spring up following every tragedy in the news. For example, more than 50 campaigns launched following the shooting at the Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Some of the campaigns were connected with victims, and some were scams.

In high-profile situations, GoFundMe provides some oversight and coordinates with the campaign organizers. A GoFundMe spokesperson identified legitimate campaigns in media interviews. In situations like these, a little research may help you avoid the scams.

Tragedies involving multiple victims are the easiest scams to pull off. However, some scammers will focus on individuals as well. TheWashington Post reported that, following a widely publicized "Facebook homicide" involving the brutal killing of a man, people launched multiple GoFundMe campaigns to benefit the family.

The problem was that most of the campaign organizers had no connection to the victim's family. The victim's daughter warned people not to contribute to the many false campaigns.

Generally, GoFundMe does very minimal vetting of its thousands of campaigns. GoFundMe says it can’t guarantee the validity of each campaign. The website does offer some basic tips to screen campaigns for yourself, and they recommend that users report any suspicious accounts they discover.

How To Spot And Avoid GoFundMe Scams

Pay attention to the story details. Scammers often provide minimal details, or they may weave an overly elaborate story. Sometimes there will be factual errors that conflict with local news reports.

Do a reverse image search the images to see whether they are stock images or stolen from Google or social media accounts. Like catfishers, GoFundMe scammers often steal pictures of strangers for their campaigns.

Check the campaign organizer's social media presence. Scammers often set up fake Facebook profiles. Some tell-tale signs include a very young account age, few friends, and a sparse feed.

Lifehacker recommends that you try contacting the organizer directly. Often scammers won't respond or may be intentionally vague in their response. By the way, you can reach out to the organizer by clicking on the little green envelope.

GoFundMe suggests checking whether the organizer connected with the beneficiaries. One thing to look for is whether direct family members or friends left supportive comments and made donations to the campaign.

A little caution and research may help you avoid the most obvious scammers. You can breathe easy knowing your money supports legitimate GoFundMe campaigns.

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The Author

Ed Smith is a writer, coffee addict, and jack of all trades. He's based in San Diego, California.

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